


green tea and cherry blossoms

by CapriciousCrab



Series: Bingo fic 2018 [6]
Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Accidental marriage...sort of, Established Relationship, Japan, M/M, Tea Ceremony
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-17
Updated: 2018-10-17
Packaged: 2019-08-03 17:17:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16330274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CapriciousCrab/pseuds/CapriciousCrab
Summary: Japan is lovely in the spring...There's no sense of time here. No urgency, no rush. Nothing but peace and serenity as they sit together under the blooms and look out into the gardens.





	green tea and cherry blossoms

**Author's Note:**

> written for the Phandom Fic Fest: Bingo fest  
> prompt filled: accidental marriage
> 
> Thanks to Evening42 for the beta work!

Japan is lovely in the spring.

 

They walk through the temple gardens quietly, hands brushing against each other as they stroll along the moss-covered path. The air is misty and sweetly perfumed with the scents of lush green grass and blooming cherry blossoms. Fat bumblebees dance lazily among the flowers, their droning hum adding to the surreal, serene feeling that sweeps over him. 

There are stone benches placed underneath graceful Sakura trees, the arching branches dropping delicate flower petals as they dance in the breeze. He turns his head to look at Phil and marvels at the way the cherry blossoms have caught in his hair, painting it with color. There's no sense of time here. No urgency, no rush. Nothing but peace and serenity as they sit together under the blooms and look out into the gardens.  
  
They wait until the time is right before approaching the _tsukubai_ with the reverence the ritual deserves, crouching next to the stone washbasin to rinse their hands and mouth with the icy cold water that trickles down from the bamboo pipe. Collecting the water in a small wooden ladle, they gently pour the water over their hands then dab some onto their lips before moving on to the tea room, bowing as they enter through the small door.  
  
He doesn't question why he and Phil are in formal wear for a tea ceremony, had just done as Phil had asked and dressed in the clothes laid out for him. He's wearing that rose embroidered suit he's been coveting and Phil is in black silk, his pink dress shirt a perfect match for the roses on Dan's jacket. He can't help but sigh over how good they look, how they perfectly match the aesthetic of the tea house as they don the tea room slippers and greet the room attendant.

They carefully observe the ceremony, making sure to follow their host's direction. They watch as the tea is made, the scratch of the wooden whisk loud in the silent reverence of the room. They drink in turn, Phil making sure to turn the bowl correctly and wipe the rim before passing the cup along to Dan. They eat the pretty _wagashi_ sweets made of _azuki_ bean paste that are set before them as the host cleans the tools and closes out the ceremony, smiling at each other in shared enjoyment.

It's only after the ritual has ended that the host addresses them directly, presenting them with a decorative paper scroll to sign. He ties it with a black ribbon when they're finished and hands it to Phil with a formal bow.

  
“My congratulations on your marriage. May your union be a blessed one,” the host says, bowing once more before leaving the room.  
  
At that the pleasant fog clears from his mind, bringing him upright in confused shock.  
  
“Wait, what did he say? Did he say marriage?” he asks. “Phil? What did he mean by that? Marriage?”  
  
His voice had grown louder and slightly panicky as the words fell from his lips, his agitation evident in the wringing of his hands.  
  
“Shh, let's not shout in the temple!” Phil shushes, pulling Dan back toward the door. There's a look on Phil's face that he can't quite figure out, a sort of nervous anticipation, and his hand is clammy with sweat. “There's a private garden around the back. We can sit there and figure out how this happened.”  
  
He continues to fret as he follows Phil down the path as it curves around the side of the temple.

“Phil, how did we manage to get accidentally married? What kind of tea ceremony was that anyway? And what the hell are we going to tell everyone?”

His hands twist at the hem of his suit jacket as they approach the garden, the tall hedge walls obscuring it from view. Phil leads the way into the garden and he trails behind, his mind going a mile a minute.

“I don't understand how this could happen” he rants, his voice rising once more. “Jesus Christ, did they tell you we had to dress formal? Is that what these suits were all about? _Phil!_ For fuck's sake, you need to stop walking and listen to me-”

His voice dies off as Phil moves to stand behind him, allowing him to see into the garden for the first time.  
  
For a moment he's terribly afraid that they've interrupted a private party, and he wants to sink into the ground. Then he looks into the faces smiling back at him and he realizes that these are **their** people-family and close friends laughing at his shock and surprise.  
  
Tables dressed with linens in pink and black are set delicately along the hedge walls, slim tapers rising up from floral centerpieces. Black paper lanterns dance in the breeze with their initials emblazoned in pink for all to see as the wedding cake sits proudly at the center table, glorious with black ribbon and piped cherry blossoms.  
  
He stands speechless, utterly paralyzed by the manifestation of his dream wedding before him. Every idea he's ever mentioned; the decor, the flowers, even the cake, is exactly how he had imagined it would be. It's all right here, set out before him like the gift that it is.  
  
“Surprise, Danny! Did I get it right?” Phil whispers in his ear, wrapping his arms around Dan's waist.  
  
He turns to Phil and smiles even as tears sting his eyes. Phil looks so pleased with himself as he leads Dan to the center table to take their place as the guests of honor, bringing Dan's hand up to his mouth to press a kiss to his knuckles before sliding the slim band onto his ring finger.  
  
He slides his thumb over that circle of warm metal as they eat, as they dance, as they celebrate. The day drifts by in a dreamlike haze with music and laughter ringing out in happy peals of noise. And later that night, after they've loved each other for the first time as husbands, he falls asleep rubbing the tangible proof of their commitment to each other.  
  
**  
  
He wakes slowly, reluctantly, as the sounds of the outside world filter into his awareness. It's warm in their bed and he snuggles deeper under the covers and pulls the duvet up to his shoulders. He can feel Phil's body pressing into his, his arm tossed over Dan's hip and his knees tucked in behind Dan's. He revels in the feel of him as he moves to slide his thumb over the ring on his finger.  
  
Only to find that there's nothing there.  
  
He yanks his hand up to his face, panicking at the sight of his bare finger before he his eyes wander the room. The realization comes slowly as he takes in their bedroom, the familiar sight as comforting as it is heartbreaking. He lets his body still as Phil moves and snugs up against him a bit more, tucking his face into the freshly cut hair at Dan's nape. Phil loves the nape of his neck and gravitates there, even in sleep. 

Just a dream, he thinks as he nestles his cheek deeper into his pillow, his throat tightening with a sorrowful longing.   
  
He lets himself sink back against Phil as he thinks of the dream, for of course, it was a dream. They weren't quite ready for it yet; working on getting their forever home so they could get married in their own garden. Where it would be private and homey and just the way they want it. Still, he can't help feeling gutted at the realization that the beautiful surprise ceremony, with the lovely dream reception done up in pink and black and beautiful blooms, wasn't his reality.  
  
It won't be much longer, this he knows. So he drifts back to sleep with Phil at his back and dreams once more of green tea and cherry blossoms.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> you can like/reblog [here](https://capriciouscrab.tumblr.com/post/179158860825/green-tea-and-cherry-blossoms-rating-g-word) if you'd like :)


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